


One Year

by MorganaNK



Category: Inspector Lynley - All Media Types, Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 03:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15379551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganaNK/pseuds/MorganaNK
Summary: A post-series fic





	One Year

**Author's Note:**

> Property of Elizabeth George and the BBC, no copyright infringement intended

Silently she sat down next to me. I glanced in her direction, then turned back to the view in front of me.

“Am I that predictable?”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her shrug, “it’s a year today.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“It does, or at least that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.”

I twisted in my seat and looked at her, “you should be angry with me.”

“Why?”

“Because I am here.”

“I think you’re angry enough for the both of us.”

“And you’re too understanding.”

She shook her head, a soft smile crossing her face. “That’s one thing I don’t think I’ve ever been accused of before.”

“That’s because people don’t know you like I do.”

“I should hope not!”

I reached for her hand, lacing our fingers together, stroking her palm with my thumb.

“You’ve always been too good to me.”

Scoffing, she shook her head again. “I think you’ve got me confused with someone else!”

Now it was my turn to smile. “I don’t. In all the years I’ve known you, no matter how much of a royal pain in the arse I’ve been, you’ve always been there.”

“Well, it’s a cute arse.”

I closed my eyes, blushing at her words, not trusting myself to speak.

“It’s okay to be sad Tommy. Helen was a large part of your life for a long time, you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t miss her.”

Swallowing deeply, I struggled to find my voice. “She was my friend, and she was by my side through the years when I was estranged from my mother and Peter.”

“Exactly.”

“I still blame myself for her death. I didn’t have Nina searched, just took her word that she had disposed of the gun.”

“You didn’t make Helen stand between her and Pavletic.”

“She wouldn’t have been at the scene if I hadn’t decided to bring her in to the case.”

“Stop it Tommy.”

“You said that it was okay to be sad.”

“To be sad, yes. To beat yourself up over things, no. Helen had free will, you didn’t make her do anything that she didn’t want to.”

I moved up the bench so that I could wrap my arm around her, burying my face in the crook of her neck. She held me close, her hand stroking my back, soothing and consoling…

After what seemed like hours I felt composed enough to raise my head, but I didn’t remove my arm from around her shoulder.

“Feeling a little better?”

“A bit. I’m sorry…”

She pressed a finger to my lips, “don’t ever apologise.”

“But…”

“We’ve already established that it’s a cute one.”

That raised another smile.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“You know what.”

She grinned, “if you say so.”

My free hand drifted down to her stomach, caressing the small bump that was almost hidden by her jumper.

“I do. Now, why don’t we go and get some lunch?”

“Food sounds good, I don’t think anything has passed my lips since breakfast.”

“Four hours without food; I’m surprised you’re still standing!”

She rewarded my cheekiness with a playful slap.

“I am eating for two you know.”

“As if I would ever forget.” I got to my feet, tugging her up as well. “Come on then Mrs Lynley, let’s go eat.”


End file.
